My Book Reviews

Note: There are books listed here whose views I do not endorse. I try to break beyond my bubble and understand others. If you're interested in my current beliefs, feel free to email me.

Zen and the Art of Happiness

This book repeats itself: "convince yourself that you're living in the best possible universe".

The Prime Number Conspiracy

Good variety of math journalism hits with that pleasing Quanta style.

Soulhome

My first foray into progression fantasy. Cool magic system propping up a weak plot.

Good Inside

Dr. Becky is the best! Great guide to navigating big emotions in parenting and life.

Factfulness

A great case that the world is getting better and that human intuition is broken.

Give and Take

Unremarkable inspo porn.

Bullshit

Surprisingly deep philosophical musings on BS.

An Elegant Puzzle

A collection of concrete wisdom about engineering management.

How Innovation Works

This book traces the paths of how tinkerers improve ideas. I think I preferred Isaacson's Innovators, which illustrated many of the same ideas more clearly.

Musashi

Epic.

The Mom Test

Brilliant guide to validating ideas.

Motivational Interviewing

This book contains life-changing strategies for active listening.

The Golden Compass

Awesome. I somehow missed reading this as a child, but it's filled with depth for adults.

Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids

This book makes an excellent case that most people should consider having more kids. In many ways, the central argument is "Kids make people happier. Most parents spend way too much time on individual children. Nature will eventually dominate your nurture, so nurture less and make more nature."

It's written by an economist; the research was comprehensive and convincing. The parenting advice was, uh, obviously written by an econimist.

Three Laws of Nature

Potent primer on energy & entropy. Very focused, no filler. Highly recommended.

Sirens & Muses

A book about art students that seems to both idolize and resent its subject matter. I suspect I would've enjoyed this book more if I were an actual artist.

Creation Lake

There is so much to love about this story. The Neandrathal stuff was very thought-provoking. Unfortunately, the plot lost way too much momentum in its midsection, and the payoffs were not sufficiently setup to my tastes.

Ministry of Time

Charming book. I would've preferred a short story.

Complexity: A Guided Tour

A scattered (but very entertaining) survey of complex systems. Sometimes felt like reading a "greatest hits" of all the coolest ideas in math/science, and that's okay.

Supercommunicators

It's like HTWFAIP written by Malcolm Gladwell! And I really mean that in the best possible way -- I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and feel like I learned a lot from it.

How Evil Are Politicians?

Too much Bryan Caplan for me!

The Spider's War

Satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series.

The Case Against Education

This book mixes flamboyant hubris with intellectual humility -- I think I actually quite enjoy those flavors together: strong opinions, supported with meticulous evidence, but hedged with solid arguments against your case.

But is education really "80% signaling"? Yeah, I think I'm pretty convinced of that. But still unsure what to do with that information though. If it's true, there's a vast and undervalued market gap for talent search/certification.

Radical Abundance

Decent crash course into atomically-precise manufacturing. Great frameworks for thinking at small scales. Drexler seems to have a beef with the science community, which felt like a constant distraction from the brilliant ideas in the book.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

This book really should be called "How to Talk So People Will Listen". It's loaded with actionable advice that I've already started using with my family.

The Widow's House

Okay, I really just need to know what happens next. Good writing, great plot, but just a lot of it.

A Naked Singularity

A "perfect" book. Unbelievably, indescribably good. It's hard not to compare it to DFW's fiction; both the writing style and its subject matter evoked Infinite Jest and Broom of the System, and -- blaspheme incoming -- I much preferred A Naked Singularity. The plot, the themes, the characters, the feels, the research -- what an experience!

A General Theory of Oblivion

A potent literary tangle.

The Impossible Man

This biography must've been exceptionally difficult to write. How does an author explain generational harm without excusing it? How do they cover the pursuit of genius without encouraging some of its most negative stereotypes?

The Tyrant's Law

I am loving this series! …and I want it to move faster.

The Road

A book about life, death, and evil. It'll remain in your memory like a scar. Highly recommended.

Prisoners of Geography

An easy introduction to contemporary geopolitics. I wish I had read this in middle school!

The King's Blood

Great fantasy! Rarely do I read sequels, and even more rarely do I enjoy them this much.

Cadillac Desert

It's one of those non-fiction books that changes everything. Rarely do I read something that needs to take such provocative measures to explain things that should obvious and uncontroversial. Water is essential.

Welcome to the Hyanam-dong Bookshop

This book is the product of many positive social movements. While I didn't enjoy the book's plot all that much, I'm very happy to see the zeitgeist carry us here!

Thinking with Type

A gorgeous, delightful, informative book. This work takes the art of printed words to another level.

James Acaster's Guide to Quitting Social Media

Acaster is funny, as usual; the book achieves some surprising depth through absurdism.

Fab

A decent book about a powerful idea: the imminent personal fabrication revolution. So hungry for more details/depth; I'll probably need to watch the related "How to Make Almost Anything" course online.

Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead

Probably very good, but too much for me for now.

Tyll

Nice, dark folklore.

Glucose Revolution

Practical guide to managing blood sugar, backed by science.

The Idiot

This novel is so detailed, it's hard to believe it's not a memoir. It's sometimes too smart but overall beautifully written.

I admittedly stopped reading this book after ~75% completion. The plot evoked too many memories of longing, humiliation, regret, etc.

The Dragon's Path

Excellent fantasy! I'd put it somewhere between Brandon Sanderson and George R R Martin. Great characters, intriguing plot, well-crafted twists.

Oblivion: Stories

To be honest, it's a bit too much David Foster Wallace. Most of the stories are brilliant; some are extraordinary chores.

The Dream Machine

An opinionated-yet-measured history of personal computing via the lens of JCR Licklider, "Computing's Johnny Appleseed".

Heaven

Cool exploration of good/evil via manic pixie dream girl. Clunky execution overall.

The Employees

Objectification! Of androids, of humans, of women, of men, of employees, of objects, etc. Very well done.

Convenience Store Woman

This tiny book made me feel a lot of things. It made me… wistful? kinder? weirder? resentful?

Nexus

In short: information is neutral, bureaucracy is interesting, and computers are powerful. As usual, Harari is an excellent writer, but I felt somewhat underwhelmed by this book. I suspect that this book was written to convince other people of these things.

Capitalist Realism

Makes a solid case that capitalism is responsible for much of the malaise and misery of our era. I wish the book made clearer descriptions of alternatives to capitalism. I understand that that was not the point of the book, but as the book says, it's really hard to even picture a world without capitalism at this point.

No Country for Old Men

One of those rare books with incredible characters, beautiful (yet unpretentious) prose, gripping plot, clever dialogue, and enough depth to drown yourself.

The Strangest Man

Cool biography about cool dude.

Trust

It's a metafictional novel about capital/power with a deeply compelling plot! Wow!

Pastoralia

One of the best fictional works I've ever encountered. Funny! Painful! Rich! Otherworldly!

Atonement

I generally have no patience for stories like this. I don't know how this differs from other romance/WWII books, but, wow, Atonement hits hard in all the right ways at all the right times -- an expertly crafted plot.

When We Cease to Understand the World

I adore Labatut's willingness to take liberties with history; it's the perfect amount of speculation injected into non-fiction. Stories of mad geniuses are irresistible to me, and this book is full of such true(ish) tales.

The Friend

Well-written literary fiction, but nothing remarkable.

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage

Tidy, enjoyable short stories.

The Soul of a Machine

A journalist lives in a basement with an engineering team for 18 months while they attempt to build a 32-bit computer from scratch.

Seeing Like a State

After reading Guns, Germs, and Steel, I felt like I was suddenly endowed with a unified framework for understanding history and geopolitics.

For me, Seeing Like a State has induced similar "framework thinking". Governments behave for good reasons; they succeed/fail in predictable ways.

Stay True

It's a memoir. If you like memoirs, you'll like this memoir. It's about growing up, finding identity, friendship, grief -- yep, it's a memoir.

Evicted

An essential non-fiction read. Great storytelling; difficult to stomach at times. Great insights into the struggles of both landlords and tenants.

Olive Kitteridge

Remarkably good short stories, with excellent and subtle commentary on that tiresome brain defect that so many of us are born with.

A Shining

what on e*rth did I just read and why am I barefoot

Outline

Plotless, yet gripping! Somehow reads like second-person POV but obviously isn't. A book that takes listening to oneself and others very seriously.

The Glass Cage

Automation good! Automation bad!

I found Christian's Alignment Problem and Kuang's & Fabricant's User-Friendly more enlightening on this same topic.

Volt Rush

Feels like a timeline that I neither understand nor care about is being forcibly spoonfed to me. I think a commodity-traders narrative (a la The World for Sale), a Michael-Pollan-esque story, or a land-based "first-principles" approach (a la Guns, Germs, and Steel) would've been much more interesting.

Demon Copperhead

Reads like a modern "hillbilly" Anna Karenina (or maybe something more deep and heavy). This book will forever alter the way I see rural America, opioid addiction, and systemic oppression.

The World for Sale

Top-tier historical account of the wide-reaching influence of commodities and their traders.

Roadside Picnic

Read it! It's so, so, so good. The plot, the writing, the characters, the ideas -- it's brilliant.

The War Below

The book somehow moves both too quickly and too slowly for me to absorb its contents.

Frostbite

Refrigeration is cool! I salute the author for a worthy tilt at a difficult topic.

War with the Newts

Peculiar, potent, prescient.

Leviathan

Relentless melodrama with some clever character/plot structures.

Enchanted Objcets

A refreshing plea to build delightful technology with fewer screens.

The Long Earth

One of the most charming and brilliant books I've ever experienced. I'm awestruck by its scope, by its humor, and by its depth.

The Alignment Problem

An excellent history of AI/ML in the context of human goals. If you're looking for a lightly-technical book covering the trajectory of AI/ML, I highly recommend this book.

How to Have Impossible Conversations

A guide to exercising curiosity; lots of great tips on listening, suspending judgement, maintaining common ground, and sowing doubt. These "applied epistimology" folks might be onto something.

My major takeaway is that knowing how people believe is generally more useful than knowing why they believe.

The Sellout

Insanely good lit. Humans will be laughing/crying with this book for centuries.

Slow Productivity

More of the same good Cal Newport advice. I highly recommend his podcast if you want sane and sustainable advice on how to achieve goals.

Quantations: A Guide to Quantum Living in the 21st Century

I'M GOING QUANTUM!

The Sparrow

Thorough exploration of the problem of evil. A brutal tale about faith, science, religion, and culture. The highs are very high and the lows are very low. The cultural worldbuilding was entertaining, but detracted somewhat from the potent narrative.

Co-Intelligence

A practical introduction to integrating AI into your everyday life. I'd definitely recommend it to somebody who doesn't understand how/why ChatGPT is useful. But to me, it was just preaching to the proverbial choir.

The Politics of Design

An appealing fisheye journey through design.

The Overstory

The first ~20% of The Overstory is delightful -- short stories where entire human lifetimes breeze by in a few pages.

But then the author tries to weave together the individual tales (a la Seinfeld?) and completely fumbles the pacing, the characters, and everything I so liked about the introduction.

In the end, it feels like an Ayn Rand's Cloud Atlas about logging. Seems like something that Netflix would try to turn into a series and then cancel it three seasons in.

User Friendly

Good overview of human-centered design in engineering. A surprising amount of anecdotes I hadn't heard before.

The Cold Start Problem

Solid strategic guide for any startup building on networks. Lots of fantastic idea fodder.

Going Infinite

An entertaining biography! I'm curious how the EA community and other proximate parties would tell the story.

Build

A solid startup guide borne from an impressive career.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt

The definitive story of the ascent of one of planet Earth's most interesting creatures.

When I was much younger, this book sparked my lifelong pursuit of excitement and power. My lust for bustle persists, much to everybody's chagrin.

The Art of Product Design

An entertaining sales pitch hardly disguised as a book.

Ender's Game saga

I think I'm a sucker for "lonely messiah-complex mastermind" stories, and that is not a good thing. I never thought I'd fall prey to sympathizing with Superman.

Speaker for the Dead is especially good. It's like the cruciform arc coauthored by Borges and Gabriel García Márquez. But again, written by a problematic person.

Effortless

Nothing remarkable; this book was a pleasant reminder to stop trying so dang hard.

The Fifth Season

Very, very good sci-fi/fantasy writing. It's filled with provocative-but-not-preachy themes, which is the hallmark of good sci-fi. Jemisin is unbelievably good at writing characters and making their interactions believable.

One thing I realized from this book is that I may have exhausted my patience for high-fantasy worldbuilding. Sometimes these fantasy books feel like taking a sociology class for fictional cultures, which is expected in the sci-fi/fantasy genre, but incompatible with my shrinking attention span.

Distrust that Particular Flavor

A scattered-but-potent collection of non-fiction writings from a founding father of cyberpunk.

The Player of Games

Clever sci-fi that desparately wants you to know how clever it is.

Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories

Criminally underrated short story collection from the author of They're Made Out Of Meat. Clever, deep, and human.

Consider Phlebas

Well I finally started The Culture series. The first book had excellent sci-fi worldbuilding sandwiched between a lame action/adventure plot and bad writing. I suspect that Banks would be incredible at writing short stories, where his ideas could maintain focus.

Notes on the Synthesis of Form

One of the most profound and underrated works of the twentieth century.

In this short book, Christopher Alexander does for design(?) what Newton did for physics -- he wrestled a whole field out of the realm of the feelings and gods into the domain of math and mankind.

Lawns into Meadows

Felt like reading a very good blog post.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

Solid writing marred by unbearable pacing.

The MANIAC

A one-of-a-kind book. Felt like a (1) BBC radio drama covering (2) the mad scientists of WWII with a (3) brilliant throughline to today.

The Midnight Library

Reminded me of Mitch Albom, Groundhog Day, and maybe Black Mirror… in a good way.

Birnam Wood

The author is skilled at writing believable Sorkin-esque monologues from a ton of different political perspectives. She's also got a talent for setting up a house of cards and knocking it down with style. But I don't know -- I didn't enjoy the story.

The Night Circus

Captivating plot, likable characters, cool magic, fantastic imagery. It's surprising that Hollywood hasn't made an adaptation yet.

Nine Princes in Amber

Begins as a nifty amnesiac action-thriller and then slowly morphs into typical renfair male fantasy.

Little, Big

Extraordinary modern fairy tale with lovely prose. A one-of-a-kind book. Also somewhat boring.

A Soil Owner's Manual

Neat little book about soil health.

The Dispossessed

Marvelous storytelling and worthwhile thought-experiments for anarchist/communist/capitalist sympathizers.

The Book Thief

The author is clearly very talented, but this story was underwhelming. Reads like the worst kind of high-school-English-required-reading.

Paved Paradise

The author makes a surprisingly bipartisan case against parking. He summarizes his recommendations as follows:

The path forward from a policy perspective seemed clear. Abolish parking minimums and let developers build the amount of parking their clients want. Break garage rents apart from apartment rents so carless tenants don't have to subsidize their neighbors driving. Recognize that more parking means less housing, especially affordable housing. Let different uses -- an office and an apartment building, a school and a movie theater -- share parking. Charge for the best street parking, and use parking prices and enforcement not to generate cash and cycles of punishment but to manage city streets. Invest the proceeds in the neighborhood. Let architects design environments where people can walk. Ask drivers to bear some of the externalities of automobile use.

Revolver: Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter That Changed America

I read this book for specific research purposes. I commend the authors for striking a nice balance between entertainment and historical neutrality.

What Do You Care What Other People Think?

Surely your publishers want bonus content, Mr. Feynman!

Genius at Play

I hate reading biographies, but this one was alright. Conway was a character!

The World According to Garp

A book seemingly about death & male feminism, and also the act of writing about death & male feminism. This book started out very funny and then slowly became an artistic chore (in a good way, I guess). A sometimes-annoying-but-admittedly-brilliant work of metafiction.

Educated

It's like Little House on the Prairie, but with graphic abuse and trauma. I wish it wasn't a true story. Sharp words; lasting scars. Unforgettable strength.

The Upcycle

Cradle to Cradle errata and bonus content.

From Here to Eternity

Enlightening survey of problems in the funeral industry, with plenty of good comparisons to historical/worldwide customs. Corpses are not to be feared.

Among Others

Insufferable mix of revisionist-history-memoir, magical realism, and misunderstood bookworm heroine. I know it received great reviews, but I just didn't understand the hype.

Faster

Standard Gleick deep-dive into human-scale time/speed. Lots of good insights on efficiency and "average" time.

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Classic rascal tales!

How to be Alone

Smart essays for smart people. Not for me.

Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself

It's a transcript of a very intimate David Foster Wallace interview, where David Lipsky spends lots of time with Wallace during the final leg of his ascent to infamy. I can't imagine anybody doing as good of a job as Lipsky here; he really knew when to let David talk, and how to highlight the scenery without letting it steal focus from the main show.

It was uncanny to hear DFW voice so many of my own sticky/ineffable anxieties about addiction, fame, media, intelligence, etc. His ability to point at those difficult-to-articulate feelings is probably why he is considered one of the greats.

Bringing Nature Home

Dry book about plant diversity. Would be nice as a 90-minute lecture, but a grueling experience in book form.

Salvation

Starts out as world-class sci-fi and then devolves into cliché. Personally, this book smelled like an incredibly talented author let down by a lack of support from their editor.

So Long, See You Tomorrow

I was completely unsure how to feel about this short work. Such moving storytelling, but at the same time, I felt so distant.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Charming story about a rube-goldberg machine drama in a tiny town.

The Information

A history of information theory for the layman. Lots of good tidbits.

Cradle to Cradle

A refreshingly holistic approach to sustainability! Solid foundations on real-world chemistry. Although pretentious in many parts, the authors have receipts to back up their bold opinions.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Expertly crafted book about a very not fun day at the Russian labor camp. While historically significant and well-written, it was hard for me to relate to any of it.

No Such Thing as Bad Weather

Lots of gems, but much too wordy. Children play. Outside good. Cold okay. Scandinavia much advanced.

Hunt, Gather, Parent

A fantastic piece of journalism; full of bold, testable, and convincing claims. This book has already made an impact on how I'm choosing to parent my daughter.

The Joy of X

Nifty little chapterized overview of mathematics. Lots of fun examples and "greatest hits".

Rainbow's End

Lots of neat futurism ideas with a plot stapled to it.

The Hour of the Star

It defies explanation. Just the right amount of crazy -- hardtack biscuits with chocolate chips.

The Library at Mt. Char

Intricate fantasy/sci-fi/horror with great insights into power/god/evil/parenting.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Fun/sad little story with lots to love.

Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing

After listening to Conan O'Brien gush over Robert Caro on a design podcast, my curiosity was piqued. After reading this essay collection, I'm now fully convinced that Caro is a national treasure.

Moll Flanders

This book reads like 17th century Domestic Girlfriend. The first half of the book has plenty of juicy twists, but the plot becomes repetetive very quickly.

Moll Flanders was likely progressive for its time, but its attempt at feminism has dated poorly.

The Gift of Therapy

Solid collection of advice/notes from a career therapist.

Of Mice and Men

Tell me about the rabbits!

Kitchen

Excellent insights on the grieving process, i.e. good grief!

We Have Always Lived In The Castle

Sometimes slow and annoying, but overall very clever. The story overflows with crucial details that are easy to overlook.

Radical Acceptance

Solid spiritual advice with good storytelling.

Turn of the Screw

Lackluster gothic horror with plenty of mystery but no fright or feeling.

Train Dreams

Phrenetic, short, and somber.

White Teeth

Well, the Zadie Smith hype is justified. White Teeth is excellent. Solid dialogue. Integrates multiple cultures into one narrative without obvious tokenism. Everything feels extremely intentional (in a good way). Slow beginning, but worthwhile payoffs.

The Trial

A scattered plot with decent depth but generally dislikable characters. Funny at many parts, but no stakes provided.

Lucky Jim

A book whose sole purpose seems to tarnish academia. Somewhat funny, but felt hollow and unconstructive.

High Rise

An almost-interesting story premise embedded in shallow writing.

Things Fall Apart

Solid fiction about tribal Africa. I liked most when underlying motivations for cultural practices were hinted at or explored.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

All the advice about human interaction that you should've learned (but didn't) and need to be reminded of (but don't).

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

An enthralling and epic story, although sometimes a bit too British for my small brain. I suspect this book would actually be much better as a television series.

Piranesi

A beautiful and unique labyrinth story.

All the Birds in the Sky

Heartwarming apocalyptic story about love, nature, magic, technology, growing up, generational trauma, etc. Some of the romance felt forced. Wouldn't be surprised to see it on the silver screen one day.

No One Is Talking About This

This book was painful. Normally books about internet addiction don't feel applicable to me because I never got sucked into Facebook or Twitter.

But this book felt like a personal attack. The author created a creepy caricature of the habits and values I once espoused. And her takes were completely reasonable.

I am impressed with how the author painted her political counterparts in a reasonable light. The US's alt-left and alt-right seem to be equal products of meme culture.

I didn't care much for the plot. There were quite a few things that felt forced, but they were easy to ignore amidst the excellent writing. All the story beats are relatively predictable, but it doesn't lessen the blow.

East of Eden

Deeply human. Possibly the greatest book ever written.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

Dry but incredibly deep work on how paradigm shifts work in the academic/scientific community.

The Body

Excellent writing (as usual) from Bryson, but content felt both too broad and too narrow at the same time. Recommended for middle-school students and adults unfamiliar with human biology.

Storm Front

My new favorite soft-magic fantasy world… embedded in a horny detective thriller. Imagine if Harry Potter was actually a relatively good story; instead of a student, he was a detective trapped in a softcore smut novel. The story would've been a masterpiece if the author swapped the ecchi stuff with some actual character development.

Men, Machines, and Modern Times

The definitive essay collection covering technology/innovation/society. Filled with lovely prose, accurate prophecies, great examples, and useful mental models.

On Having No Head

Entertaining booklet on the difference between your head and other people's heads. Great companion to any meditation or spiritual practice.

Permutation City

Reads like a "consciousness and computers are cool" story written by an engineer. A few incredible ideas padded by weak storytelling and philosophical exposition. Probably would've been better as a short story.

Accelerando

Probably the definitive sci-fi on post-human acceleration possibilities.

The Timeless Way of Building

This book provides a wonderful fractal-like framework for thinking about design. Its focus on objective/falsifiable "patterns" is surprisingly pragmatic. The book is filled with delightful writing and great examples.

The Moon is a Harsh Mistres

Reads like "classic" sci-fi. Explores cool ideas on superintelligence and human organization structures.

Writing Down the Bones

Reflections on zen and writing. Very personable, but didn't feel applicable to me.

The Nature of Oaks

More than you ever wanted to know about oak trees. Excellent demonstration of complex and fragile ecosystem interdependencies.

Breath

This book had lots of bold claims worth investigating.

When Things Fall Apart

Her essays feel like an incredible mix of Alan Watts and Brené Brown. This stuff is life-changing. I'm in love!

A Walk in the Woods

An imperfect-yet-hilarious account of an ambitious hike up the Appalachian Trail. Besides being charming and incredibly well-written, the ecological tangents hit super hard. Species of all kinds are going extinct at unfathomable rates. I've heard the stats before and was unmoved, but his anecdotes somehow seared Nature's impending peril into my arteries.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents

This book should be required reading for anybody with strained family relations. Although not very dense or academic, there are tons of gems to be found.

If You Could See The Sun

Interesting premise for young-adult-gets-superpower book, but with a cringey execution.

Extra Virginity

And suddenly I'm an olive oil snob.

Player Piano

It's not Vonnegut's funniest nor best-written work, but it's a parable of technology/automation that will have a lasting impact on me.

Restoration Agriculture

One of the most practical takes on permaculture, but somehow integrates a long-view of how biomes develop on Earth. Very convincing arguments for switching to perennial-oriented farming. Strong and reasonable opinions that I haven't heard via other permaculture channels.

No Logo

Thorough dissection of corporations, branding, and activism.

The Shadow of What Was Lost

Unoriginal young adult "chosen one" power fantasy with cool takes on time and fate.

Orbiting the Giant Hairball

Whimsical take on corporate creativity. Seems useful for people trapped in certain types of large organizations.

So You've Been Publicly Shamed

A well-written book on a topic I care surprisingly little about.

The Left Hand of Darkness

Solid science fiction with awesome spiritual insight.

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A rare non-fiction masterpiece. Pollan asks and answers all the right questions about humanity's relationship with food.

The Design of Everyday Things

The definitive guide to design -- a must-read for all makers and managers.

The Inner Game of Tennis

A strange but wonderful book that teaches how to teach/learn through meditation-like techniques.

Triumph of Seeds

Seed biology is a super cool topic, but the author's writing style irked me.

Bird by Bird

Solid writing advice and potentially good memoir smashed into a mediocre package.

The Diamond Age

An incredible exploration of nanotech, education, global borders & ethnic groups, and intuition. Some character arcs were a tad disappointing, but that can be forgiven in the sheer volume of ideas put to paper.

Zen in the Art of Writing

A "zesty" book that is both a disappointing memoir and unhelpful writing guide.

How to Read Nonfiction Like a Professor

Insufferable drivel.

The First Law Trilogy

An unremarkable young-adult fantasy series with a bold ending that somehow captured my attention.

Company of One

I struggled to find anything interesting or actionable from this book. I'd suggest reading Derek Sivers's Anything You Want instead, which delivers many of the same opinions in a potent dose.

Fair Play

Fair Play is a manifesto and guide for balancing domestic labor. I think it made a lot of good points, and I can imagine its clever card game/exercise being a useful tool for couples. I'd recommend this book to couples straining to fairly distribute work. I suspect that clear division of responsibilities with moderate time-tracking would be a great move for all households.

Station Eleven

Well-written book with a premise that didn't hook me.

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

Funny/sad essays about health and money and maturity and love.

Story of Your Life and Others

Another incredible collection of sci-fi shorts by Ted Chiang.

Kafka on the Shore

I totally get that this book is subtle and clever, but sorry, it didn't really make feel anything. And the sheer volume of media references made me feel like I was reading Ready Player One for self-aggrandized Mensa members.

The 19-year-old-philosophy-student-sex-scene from Kafka on the Shore embodies much of Murakami: pretentious, captivating, and horny.

A Man Called Ove

Heart-warming dark comedy about a grumpy old man who wants to die.

Paper Menagerie

Great short story collection exploring China, technology, and the power of words.

White Noise

This book produces a cool metanarrative about finding meaning amongst noise. It also made me chuckle in quite a few parts. I really liked the characterization of the main couple; despite its humorous takes, I think the story displays a lot of elements of a realistic healthy relationship. I only read one third of this book, because I'm a bit burnt out on modern/postmodern literature right now. It seems worth another try at some point in the future though.

The Grapes of Wrath

This book is a passionate exploration of United States' culture. It brilliantly covers capitalism, hunger, determination, distance, inequality, crime, family, and xenophobia. I also loved the poetic flourishes littered throughout the story. The world would probably be a kinder place if everybody read this book.

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain

A collection of engaging short stories with helpful analyses and writing advice.

The audiobook is read by an incredible cast: George Saunders, Phylicia Rashad, Nick Offerman, Glenn Close, Keith David, Rainn Wilson, BD Wong, and Renée Elise Goldsberry

The Black Prism

Decent fantasy story with a compelling hard magic system based on the light spectrum.

Lucifer's Hammer

An extraordinary number of people hope for the world to end in their lifetimes.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Borderline pretentious but short, beautiful, and entertaining.

The Rosie Project

Delightful romance story from the perspective of an autistic man.

The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared

An irreverent Forrest Gump story. Incredible comedic payoffs. Required reading for rascals.

Breakfast of Champions

A wacky book about crazy people for crazy people by crazy people. It's Vonnegut's incisive alien wit at its best.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Classic, clever comedy.

Baby-Led Feeding

This book details how and why to transition babies to solids early. It provides helpful guidance on safety and nutrition. The book comprises mostly simple recipes that seem tasty enough for adults and babies to share.

Tell Me No Lies

Wading through pages of filler to find a few worthwhile gems about lies in relationships. Sam Harris's short treatise on lying is a more potent and practical read.

Atlas of the Heart

An engaging encyclopedia of emotions.

Exhalation: Stories

A provocative short story collection about humans and technology. Each story will leave a lasting impact on how I see the world. Highly, highly recommended.

The One-Straw Revolution

Human hubris knows no bounds. This book spurns modernity. It's a charming case against science, technology, and progress. The pursuit of comfort makes life untenable.

How We Got To Now

This book is the best kinds of entertaining and informative. Six threads of technological history demonstrate the interconnectedness of ideas. It's a refreshing take on inevitable innovation.

The Walking Man

Short manga stories about the experience of living. Breathtaking artwork in some parts. Inspired me to get drenched and walk barefoot more often.

The Wintringham Mystery

Clever mystery, but ultimately soulless.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

Deep and emotional and insightful. A love letter to love in the language of game design. This book oozes "millennial", and that's a surprisingly good thing. It feels like classic literature written yesterday.

A Confederacy of Dunces

Nutty Professor meets Don Quixote meets Infinite Jest. A literary landmark ahead of its time.

Bridget Jones's Diary

An endearing read about the difficulties of young adult life and womanhood in the modern era. Contains great tongue-in-cheek commentaries on health, feminism, egotism, and addiction.

Promise of Blood

It's a charming adventure/fantasy story with good characters and cool magic -- nothing revolutionary.

Anything You Want

I adore this short book. Anything You Want celebrates simplicity and sincerity. It reads like a guide to entrepeneurship for Taoists. I've read a lot of business books, and none come close to hitting this hard. Companies forget their customers and drink bureaucratic kool-aid in the pursuit of profits. As I'm starting my own business, I keep coming back to this book to remind me of why I'm doing what I'm doing.

Learned Optimism

This book has exactly three good observations: (1) optimists attribute permanent causes to good events and temporary causes to bad events, (2) optimism is useful when risk is minimal, and (3) optimism is dangerous in risky situations. Learned Optimism would have been an excellent 250-word book.

To Say Nothing of the Dog

Witty, but distractingly British.

Get In Trouble

The Summer People is one of the best short stories I've ever encountered. The other stories in this collection are well-written but failed to hit me in the feels -- intriguing plot premises and a great literary style wasted on young-adult subject matter.

Slade House

This book is a structural marvel but hollow inside. It gives great pacing with lackluster payoffs.

The Bell Jar

This is a must-read for anybody who wants to learn what it's like to have a mental breakdown, or love somebody in a dark place. This book was well-written but too painfully familiar. This book made me sad without being charming or teaching me anything new. It stole from me and gave me nothing in return, but I imagine it has much to give others.

The Fall of Hyperion

This book seemed to have a lot to say. It wanted to be philosophical, it wanted to be adventurous, it wanted to be suspenseful, it wanted to be mysterious, and it wanted to be thought-provoking. But in my opinion, it didn't do a great job at anything in particular. Or maybe its brilliance was wasted on me.

The Anthropocene Reviewed

Painfully human essays; five stars.

Me Talk Pretty One Day

Witty and deeply personal essay collection. Great insights on parenting, grief, pets, language, and addiction.

Zero to One

Solid book on the how & why of founding a startup.

Artemis

This book is a well-researched sci-fi MacGyver adventure story. It's got great characters and a fast plot. Solid book.

Hyperion

Hyperion is unusually refreshing sci-fi. It's 6-8 interconnected short stories with drama, horror, mystery, and awe. Some sections didn't age well, but the writing is incredible in some parts, and some of its ideas are downright brilliant.

The War of Art

If you need inspiration or a swift kick-in-the-butt, read this book. Since reading, I've been unable to make my usual excuses that divert me from my art and career and health. For me, every page contained a mixture of timeless wisdom and awful advice. This book is overall charming and pragmatic.

God's Debris

From few axioms, God's Debris forms a surprisingly coherent religion, philosophy of science, and practical life advice; a worthwhile ~90-minute read.

Interview with the Vampire

Imagine The Count of Monte Cristo meets Faust meets Twilight -- it's an epic tale with deep philosophical underpinnings… and vampires! This book is worth reading if you want to dramatically ponder death, love, and evil.

Norwegian Wood

This book should be labeled with an extreme trigger warning. It covers death and sex and more death and more sex and a whole lot of depression. Imagine blending together Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Scott Pilgrim, and a smut novel. I think I learned a lot about selfishness and happiness from this experience. I wish I read this when I was 19.

The Way of Kings

If Sanderson's Mistborn is The Chronicles of Narnia, then The Stormlight Archives is The Lord of the Rings. It's magical, political, and finely crafted. Brandon Sanderson knows how to write payoffs. This book alone contains 383,000 words, so clear your schedule before reading.

The Handmaid's Tale

Much of The Handmaid's Tale is surely beyond my comprehension, but it provided a sobering glimpse into some of the unfairnesses of nature and society. Atwood's general take on United States fundamentalism is outstanding. The book is riveting throughout, but its ending secures it a "modern masterpiece".

Animal Farm

Animal Farm delightfully illustrates how authoritarian regimes usurp control. Although the book seemed to be specifically a critique of Stalin's Russia, there are gems to glean about perverse institutional incentives.

The Colour of Magic (Discworld #1)

This was my first Terry Pratchett book. Oh boy, what a delight! If you like clever authors like Raymond Smullyan and Douglas Adams, you'll adore his writing. The Colour of Magic covers some surprisingly deep ideas about science and religion wearing a witty grin.

The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day is a subtle story from the perspective of a charming butler. I highly recommend this book if you're in a wistful mood or receptive to deep introspection.

The Stranger

This book is very highly acclaimed. After reading it, I thought I missed something, so I read a few critical analyses -- nope, I understood it perfectly. The Stranger has a decent plot with great writing. This book was probably ground-breaking in 1942, but existentialism has been beaten to death since then. On my end, this is probably a case of "Seinfeld is unfunny".

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is potent. It's witty, horrific, deep, and bizarre -- an unforgettable experience.

Discipline is Destiny

This book was inspiring but forgettable. All the examples of disciplined people got me pumped, but I didn't find much actionable content.

Ubik

Good sci-fi stories explore "cool ideas". Ubik miraculously interleaves 3-5 "cool ideas". And it keeps topping itself with bigger and bigger extensions of its core "cool ideas". Read Ubik if you like "cool ideas".

Triggers

This is a self-help book that delivers. It's an incredibly useful guide on how to enact lasting change in yourself. This book focuses on growth via environmental cues. I particularly liked the concrete advice on daily active questions, accountability partners, and actionable ways to change cognitive contexts.

Book of the New Sun

These books are extremely subversive, yet the author falls prey to the exact tropes he's "subverting". The plot oscillates between mind-bending self-reference and painful self-awarelessness. Some of the twists are incredible. I suspect that this is an excellent book that aged poorly.

Solaris

A sci-fi book that gave me literal nightmares. It's unsettling and thought-provoking.

The Good Earth

A heartbreaking rags-to-riches-to-rags story about wealth, family, work, fairness, kindness, and land. It's easy to see why a book about rural Chinese peasants was the best-selling book in the US during The Dust Bowl and The Great Depression. This book will inspire or haunt you.